Definitely simple work for me as a 27 year veteran - or so I thought????
My role was to simply to do mini-mani's on the lady pharmacists and pharmacy owners so they could experience the new colours - and hopefully purchase the range.
Yep, simple as, and of course it was, but my story here to you is about what happened while painting all these lovely ladies nails.
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| This is Ballet Slippers - as worn by the Queen, true!! |
I have always presumed that everybody gets their nails done as least every now and again, if not regularly.
I've been having my nails done since I was 15 and my beautiful spoilt daughter since she was 5!!!
But what I encountered was lady after lady that had almost NEVER had their nails done.
One lady in her later 50's told me this was only the second time she had ever had her nails painted!!!
I was in 'stun city'!!
How could that be???
Something so simple as having ones nails painted!
I was amazed but also a slight sadness came over me. These ladies were just so busy with prioritising their families and work, they didn't even have 5 minutes for themselves for a simple nail paint.
Many stories were shared like this of their busy lives, their careers and their families while finally taking 5 minutes out from the conference to have a little bit of pampering.
And let me tell you they were LOVING IT!
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| One of my first beautiful clients of the day. |
The most touching of all the stories though was one lady who had three small kiddies, owned her pharmacy and was a single mum too!
She told me she barely had time to scratch herself, let alone get her nails done.
She worked long hard hours.
She was beautiful and had a beautiful soul.
Watching her face shine as I filed and painted her nails was the greatest gift a nail tech could ever have.
She glowed while tears almost trickled down her face.
She was tickled pink when I encouraged her with a little nail art, just a feature nail and a few polka dots, but to her it seemed like Xmas.
She blushed at the decadence of just taking that time out for herself, like it was some hedonistic treat that she felt she didn't really deserve.
I know deep in my heart that I made that lady's whole weekend. She couldn't wait to ring her young daughter back home in NZ and tell her what mummy had on her nails. She said her daughter would be so proud of her having funky nails.
She promised me she would really try to take the time every few weeks to treat herself with a mani, and I think she will....
As she walked away she couldn't take her eyes off her nails, she was on cloud nine....wow, I had really touched someones life, if only for a moment in time - and her mine.
I didn't catch her name, but I will never forget that blonde pharmacist, with the pink and grey nails, with a few polka dots.
But if you do manage to find some time - even 5 minutes - do something ever so small for yourself because you deserve it!
Even better, share it doing something special for someone that has no spare time at all.
The rewards are worth a millions dollars.